Electric switch



W. A. CHRYST ELECTRIC SWITCH Dec. 4, 1928. 1,693,998

OriginalFiled March 25, 1926 Patented Dec. 4, 1928.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM A. OI-IRYST, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DAYTON ENGINEERING LABORATORIES COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed March 25, 1926, Serial No. 97,274. Renewed May 19, 1928.

This invention relates to electrical switches and particularly to electrical switches to be used in the engine starting apparatus of automotive vehicles. This engine starting apparatus usually includes an electric motor, a gear driven by the motor and adapted to move into mesh with a gear connected with the engine. The motor gear is moved endwise by mechanism including a pedal located with- 1 in convenient reach of the vehicle driver.

This pedal operated mechanism operates also an electric switch for connecting the motor with. a storage battery.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide for adjusting the switch so that it may be accommodated to the various types of pedal opera-ted gear shifting mechanisms for starting motors or to certain variations in dimensions of different starting mechanisms of the same general construction,

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown. I

' In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side and end views, re

spectively, of a switch embodying the present invention:

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of engine starting motor supporting the switch shown in Fig. 2, the section of the switch being taken on the line 3 -3 of 35 Fig. 2. I

Fig. 4 is a side View, partlyinsection, of an assembly of movable parts of the switch.

I Referring tot-he drawings, designates the field frame of an electric motor having 40 pole pieces 21 and field windings 22 and an armature 23. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the armature 23 is mounted on a shaft which supports a gear having a slidable splined connection with the 45 shaft. This gear is adapted to be moved endwise into engagement with a gear operated by the engine. Illustration of these parts, is deemed unnecessary to the understanding of the present invention. It willbe understood 50 that the motor driven gear is moved endwise int-0 engagement with the engine gear by a lever 24 pivoted at 25 upon a frame member 26 of the engine starting apparatus. The lever 24 is connected with a rod 27 which ex- 5 tends through a cup member 28 attached to the floorboard 29 of the vehicle which is pro, pelled by the engine to be started. The rod 27 carries a pedal member 30 which is maintained in the normal position shown by a spring 31 located between the pedal 30 and the cup member 28. It will be understood that downward movement of the pedal 30 will cause the lever 24 to rotate counterclockwise and to move a motor driven gear endwise into mesh with a gear of the engine to be started. This movement of the lever 24 will produce the operation of a. switch which will now be described.

The switch is designated in its entirety by numeral comprises a casing 41 which insulat-ingly supports a stationary contact 42. The other stationary switch contact 43 is in sulatingly supported by the motor field frame 20 and is connected by a bolt 44 with one of the field windings 22. The contacts 42 and 43 are adapted to be engaged by a movable contact 45 which'is insulatingly supported 'upon the lower reduced end 46 of a contact operating rod 47. The rod 47 is supported and guided by a bushing 48 which is attached to the switch housing 41. The'rod 47 is rovided with a central threaded bore 49 w ich is engaged by a screw 50 which is attached at its upper end to a cup-shaped switch operating member or button 51. The contact 45 is maintained out of engagement with contacts 42 and 43 by a spring 52' which bears at its upper end against the button 51 and at its lower end against the outside of the switch housing 41. r

The button 51 is located in the path of movement of the lever 24 so that the switch will be closed after a certain movement of the. lever 24 in a counterclockwise direction. As it is desirable to have the switch closed only after a certain predetermined movement of the lever' from normal position, it may be necessary to adjust the button 51 relative to the rod 47 in order that normally there will be a certain predetermined distance between the button 51 and the lever 24. It is apparent that after the screw 50 is turned relative to the rod 47, the button 51' will be moved endwise relative to the rod so that the button 51 will be located at the required distance from 10 the lever 24. The screw 50 is rotated by turning the button 51 and the button 51 is held in certain positions by providing it with a plurality of holes 53 which are located in a circular row and each of which is adapted'to I curely attached starting apparatus receive a hump portion '54 provided by the spring 52.

The rod 47 is prevented from turning by means which inc udes the spring 52. This means comprises a Z-shaped clip which is attached to the rod 47 and is provided with a flange 56 having a notch 57 which receives one end 58 of the spring 52. This end portion 58 also passes through a hole 59 in the switch housing 41. Since the housing 41 will prevent rotation of the spring 52, it is apparent that the spring 52 will prevent rotation of the clip 55 and the rod 47 which is seto the clip.

Upward movement of the rod 47 is limited by the engagement of the flange 56 of the clip 55 with the inner surface of the switch housing 41.

It is therefore apparent from the foregoing that the switch adjustment feature provided by the present invention allows the same switch to be used in various types of pedal operated engine starting apparatus. The invention therefore since it avoids the necessity of employing different motor switches for different kinds of engine starting apparatus of the pedal shift type.

While the form of embodiment of the pres ent invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A switch comprising, in combination, stationary and movable contacts, a slidable rod supporting the movable contact, a switch operating member having screw threaded engagement with said rod, a spring for maintaining said movable contact out of engagement with the stationary contacts, and means including said spring and provisions carried by the switch operating member for yieldingly maintaining said member in adjusted position relative to the rod.

2. A switch comprising in combination, a

housing having a bearing; a stationary contact; a movable ably supported in saidbearing; a button adjustably secured to said movable contact; means interposed between the housing and button yieldably to contact s maintain the movable contact in proper spaced relation to the stationary contact, said means engaging the movable contact and the button rigidly to hold the former and yieldingly to hold the latter against rotation.

3. A switch comprising in combination, a housing; a contact slidably supported by said housing; a switch operating member adjustably carried b the contact; a spring interposed between the housing and the operating member, one end of said spring extending through an aperture in the housing and engaging the contact to lock it against rotation, the other end of the spring yieldingly holdreduces the cost of tion on the actuator,

tation, the other end of the spring yieldingly maintaining the button in adjusted position on the rod.

5. A switch comprising in combination, a

housing; a contact slidably supported by the housing; a button adjustably secured to the contact to operate it in thcone direction; a spring interposed between the housing and but-ton for operating the contact in the other direction; a flanged stop member attached to the contact to limit its movement by the spring, said stop member being engaged by one end of the spring to lock the contact against rotation while permitting it to be moved slidahly, the other end of the spring yieldably maintaining the adjustment of the button on the contact.

6. A switch comprising in combination, normally open co-operating contacts, an actuator adapted to close said contacts, a head adjustably supported upon the actuator and means engaging the head yieldably to hold it in adjusted position on the actuator, said means yieldably holding the actuator to maintain the contacts open.

7. A switch comprising in combination, a bearing member, co-operating contacts, an actuator slidably supported in the bearing and adapted to close said contacts, a head adjustably secured to said actuator and means yieldably maintaining theactuator normally in position to maintain the contacts open, said means yieldably maintaining the actuator head in adjusted position on the actuator.

8. A switch comprising in combination, a housing, a bearing member, normally open contacts in said housing, an actuator slidably supported in the bearing member and operable to close the contacts, a head adjustably supported on the actuator, and means yieldably holding the head in adjusted posimaintaining the actuator against rotative motion while permitting its slidable movement, and yieldably holding the actuator in contact opening position.

9. A switch comprising in combination, normally open cooperating contacts, an actuator, slidably supported and adapted to close the contacts, a head rotatably supported on the actuator so as to be adjustable relative thereto, and a spring for maintaining the actuator, yieldably, in contact openingand rigidly holding said actuator against rotative movement while permitting it to move longitudinally.

10. A switch comprising in combination, a housing supporting a bearing, a stationary vcontact, a movable contact adapted to engage the stationary contact, an actuator for the movable contact, slidably supported in said bearing, a button adjustably attached to the actuator, means interposed between the housing and button yieldable to maintain the actuator in contact open position,

said means engagin the actuator and button' rigidly to hold the lormer and yieldably the latter against rotatiorn 11. A switch comprising in combination,

1 a housing, c'o-operating contacts in said housing, an actuator slidably supported by said housing and adapted to close the contacts, a button adjustably supported by said actuator, a spring imposed between the housing and the button, one end of said spring extending into an aperture in the housing and engaging the actuator to lock it against rotation, the other end of said spring engaging the button yieldably to maintain it in adjusted position on the actuator.

12. A switch comprising in combination, a housing, an actuator slidably supported.

" by the housing, normally open contacts in said housing adapted to be closed by said actuator, a button adjustably secured to said actuator, a spring imposed between'the housing and button yieldably to maintain the actuator in normal contact open position, and to maintain the button in adjusted position on the actuator and means carried by the actuator and engaged by the spring to prevent rotative movement of the actuator while permitting it to slide in the housing.

13. A switch comprising in combination, a housing, a bearing supported by said housing, a rod slidable in said bearing, a contact;

insulatingly attached to one end of the rod, a member mounted on the rod and adapted to engage the housing to limit the movement of the rod in one direction, a button adjustably secured to the rod, a spring interposed between the housing and button yieldably to hold the rod so that the said member manually engages the housing, said spring extending through an aperture in the housing and engaging said member to prevent rotative movement of the rod while permitting said rod to move slidably in the bearing, said spring yieldably maintaining the button in adjusted position on the rod.

14. A switch comprising in combination, a housing, a bearing supported by said housing, a rod slidably supported in the bearing, normally open co-operating contacts in said housing, one of which is adapted to be moved into engagement with the other by the operation of the rod, a head adjustably secured to the rod, a spring interposed between the housing and head yieldably to maintain the rod in contact open position, the end of the spring engaging the button yieldably maintaining it in ad usted position, the other end of said spring extending into the housing and engaging the rod for preventing rotative movement thereof while permitting it to move slidably in its bearing.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

WILLIAM A. CHRYST. 

